Northwest Indiana casinos ready to go with sports betting

Operators said they’re waiting on the state lawmakers to make their move to reach out to a new group of gamblers.

US.- The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) revoked the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992 through a historical ruling and opened the door on sports betting on a federal level and casino operators in Northwest Indiana celebrated the decision. Companies in the area expressed their approval as it allows them to reach out to a new group of gamblers and said they will now wait for Indiana lawmakers to legalise the segment.

Spokesman for Pinnacle Entertainment, which operates Ameristar East Chicago Casino, Troy Stemming said: “It’s been a long time coming. It’s something our industry certainly welcomes.” However, they’ll have to wait until 2019 “at the earliest” to see sports betting up and running, state Rep. Earl Harris Jr. said.

Boyd Gaming president and CEO Kevin Smith branded the ruling as a growth opportunity and said: “Whether we ultimately offer sports betting in specific states will depend on the rules and tax rates set forth by each state.”

Both the Senate and the House have two sports betting bills to discuss. The first, introduced by Sen. Jon Ford, wouldn’t include the integrity fee for the leagues but would impose its own on those conducting sports wagering. The other, introduced by Rep. Alan Morrison, would authorise sports wagering at the state’s floating casinos, racinos, and satellite facilities and would include the integrity fee.

There has been a request filed to have Ford’s bill discussed by a committee over the US summer but there’s still no certainties around when legislation will be discussed.